Dr. Saliba developed innovative methods to determine the physical and chemical characteristics of water pipe (WP) smoke and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) at the design and smoke levels. She determined the major contributing sources of elevated levels of pollution in the city and assessed the contribution of dust storms originating in nearby deserts.
The data she generated is used by local government and research agencies, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank in their publications.
At AUB-NCC she leads in offering innovative solutions to local rural environmental challenges through public participatory and citizen science approaches. Her recent work at AUB-NCC has focused on waste management and water contamination. Her outputs made headline news in local and international media outlets and culminated in over 85 peer-reviewed articles that are highly cited.
She is the recipient of the 2019 L’Oréal-UNESCO International Award for Women in Science, the National Order of the Cedar from the President of the Lebanese Republic, the Honorary Cedar Shield from the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon, the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research Award in the Environmental Category in 2016 and along with a multidisciplinary team, the 2018 American psychological Association (APA) Prize for Interdisciplinary Team Research.
In 2019, she was awarded the Laureate for Africa and the Arab States, as part of the L’OREAL-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards. This highly prestigious award only select five women from around the world and “recognize accomplished women researchers, to encourage more young women to enter the profession and to assist them once their careers are in progress.”
On the 16th of October 2019, BBC announced the Top 100 Women in the World for 2019, among which Dr. Saliba. She once said: “Like the positive and negative dipoles defining a chemical bond, and the yin and the yang staging the balance in nature, women and men must co-reign to solve our current and future environmental threats.”
The President of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Aoun, on the 22nd of March 2019, awarded a National Cedar Medal to the Director of AUB’s Nature Protection Center, professor Najat Aoun Saliba, in recognition of her pioneering research and efforts in the field of air pollution and for the UNESCO’s international L’Oréal award.
Dr. Najat Aoun Saliba was as well awarded, an honorary shield from Head of the Lebanese Parliament, for her scientific achievements, which culminated in her receiving the 2019 L’Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science Award.
Environment Academy
The Environment Academy (EA) is a partnership between AUB-NCC and MTV’s “Sar El Wa2et” or “It’s about time.” The purpose of the Academy is to publicize and expand on a process for co-creating solutions with the residents of rural and urban areas at the front lines of our common environmental problems.
Never before has there been ground-shaking public outcry and urgency over environmental and public health crises, especially in solid waste mismanagement, water pollution, air pollution, and the loss of green spaces. When we put aside our religious, political, and ideological divides, we find that wherever we live in Lebanon and no matter how well-off we are, everyone has these issues in common. The EA aim’s to instill hope that these longstanding, grand, and seemingly out-of-control issues can be dealt with when we join forces and translate the frustrations of those who live these issues most intimately into action. After all, they are ones that have the courage, grit, and local knowledge needed to make a change.
“We believe when the issues become severe, huge, and out of control, start small and work in the areas you know best. Through the Environment Academy and your support we will join hands with 10 villages or urban areas to advance a process for co-creating solutions that are best suited to each village and area.
Khaddit Beirut
The Beirut port explosion on August 4th was an epitome of corruption and negligence leading us to come together in a moment of tragedy. We felt it was our obligation to work together to break the cycles of misery and corruption that had caused this disaster.
Khaddit Beirut aims to co-build local alternatives, best practices, and growth opportunities that ensures the wellbeing and dignity of the inhabitants of Lebanon.
As a grassroots initiative, Khaddit Beirut applies an agile, evidence-based, inclusive, and holistic approach driven by local needs, accountable to people, and focused on sustainable solutions in the areas of community health, education, environmental health, and local business.
A group of activists, scholars, experts and students from Lebanon and beyond, decided to put their expertise into action to serve the vision and mission of Khaddit Beirut.
Award Seneca Foundation:
Chosen among the new, fresh, different and contemporary faces of women who live very different personal, cultural and professional circumstances by the Seneca Foundation – Science and Technology Agency of the Region of Murcia.